(CNN) — In a previously undisclosed Transportation Security Administration program, federal air marshals are tracking American citizens not suspected of a crime, not under investigation or who are not on any terrorist watch list, the Boston Globe first reported and CNN has confirmed. (www.cnn.com) Ещё...

What's the difference, this is just a natural step in Homeland "Security" just taking over all of the policing in the country. Guilty until proven innocent.

I will not fly in this environment. I won't participate in this "voluntary" tracking and abuse - voluntarily. I don't know why people are so blind to the Takeover that is occurring in the US. It's pretty obvious to me. Maybe I should quote referen.............oh, here's one.

Someone please show me the cost ratio of the joke TSA and their groping compared to the number of belt bombing that they have prevented. And then I want the numbers for shoe bombing. And then I want to know how many computers and cellphones have been confiscated and found to be explosives. Let's start there.

One of the last times I had to fly for work I was asked why I was sweating, but when one considers I was dragging 2 suitcases filled with work clothes, boots and a hard hat, a computer backpack with a portable office in it and a camera bag (I love checking out places I haven't been before and taking pics of interesting sights), it is wonder why I am sweating as I approach the counter in Atlanta during the summer.l I guess I need to turn in my TWIC card that DHS issued me. :/

Ok so wait a sec here... 3 observers per one suspected individual?? So if there are 4 individuals on a flight, thats 12 people that are taking up space for no fricking reason?? NO WONDER PEOPLE KEEP GETTING BUMPED BECAUSE THE FLIGHT WAS "OVERBOOKED"... Can we please get these isiots off the plane? I need my cigar and scotch after this idiocy!

Last year flying back from Athens to Philly I sat next to a fellow - he looked like a cross between a Navy Seal and a mullah. There was something very secretive about him. We had a long discussion about Clif High and Bitcoin. He was a huge fan of Clif High. That choice of mentor speaks volumes. He told me I needed to buy Bitcoin. His phone had a black out screen. He often went to the galley and chatted up the staff. I even had the pluck to ask if he was packing. He never replied, of course. Just smiled. And never never slept. Carried his own flavored water. Maybe I was the control in the experiment but I honestly wonderd about anyone else on that flight out of Athens....I saw him bypass Customs and with a few other geeks, walk right into the airport thru a special door.

People complain when a plane is hijacked or blown up, saying the government should have prevented it. People complain when the government attempts to do something proactive to prevent hijacks and blow-ups. Dam if you do, Dam if you don't. People just complain about everything. How about offering an alternative? How would you prevent these? Personally, if TSA wants to follow me around, I'm fine with that, I have nothing to hide. That's better than getting hijacked or blown up.

Profiling is mean, you meanie meanster. Why is your heart so full of hate and pre-judgement? That does it, I am moving to Berkley where I can protest and throw rocks in a peaceful, open minded environment.

Look here's the point, which I thought was obvious: It's another intrusion into our liberty with absolutely no discernible benefit or increase in that treasured safety so many of us are apparently looking for.

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."

As it has always been and will only get worse is the dystopian changes in society as new technologies arrive. Problem is the access by unauthorized individuals doing what hell want and lie to us. Nixon and Johnson were like that to get reelected. I want safety too. An alternative suggestion is the government should be upfront about what they are doing in general(Obviously not talking about covert operations). If we continue this mass shotgun spying on the public without notice things will continue to get worse. Look how China is now monitoring in western China, all "in the interest your safety". those clowns may use it for wanted individuals, when in fact they are using to find what they consider to be political activities. How can you trust these guys? Some of them you can't trust.

In Europe we also have no hijacks lately, nor bombings in planes; yet we manage to do so without any TSA organisation and without air marshalls. On the other hand, in the US there are enough lunatics with weapons (as they with the NRA seem to believe that weapons kill, not the lunatics)....

It is not to difficult to observe who the federal air marshal on an aircraft is. They always wear a jacket, no matter how warm it is, under which they most likely carry a concealed fire arm. They stand out like a sore thumb particularly in the southern USA where the average American dresses very sloppy.

Hey leon,What's with the Southern slur? I fly the entire U.S. & can see no difference in the sloppy attire anywhere. When you charge bus fares you get bus passengers. One of our problems un the South is an invaison of carpet baggers.

I used to fly coast to coast and to overseas destinations (OK, Okinawa) in just jeans and a t-shirt. I wouldn't necessarily say sloppy, but I was comfortable for up to 20+ hours I would be in the air. At least it is not the pajama bottoms I have seen some people fly in (or just go to the store). I do wear better shirts nowadays though.